BLOEMFONTEIN. The University of the Free State (UFS) is using Nelson Mandela’s old prison number – 46664 – to help patients during a special Mandela Week.
The initiative will take place in collaboration with the Free State Department of Health, African Synergy Health (ASH), CMR Surgical, and Marcus Medical. This landmark initiative represents a groundbreaking partnership between the public and private sectors in honour of Nelson Mandela, and showcases the unique multidisciplinary robotic surgery capabilities located in the Universitas Academic Hospital in Bloemfontein.
With this in mind, the initiative will include: four surgeons performing six robotic procedures on six patients, over six days, across four specialities.
This initiative forms part of the Mandela Week Surgical Marathon hosted by ASH, a registered non-for-profit, public benefit organisation established to alleviate surgical backlogs in the public sector and other African hospitals.
Following successful missions in Gauteng and the Eastern Cape, this year’s programme aims to complete 67 charitable procedures per province, honouring Nelson Mandela’s legacy.
The UFS will become the first public academic institution in the country to participate in these fully sponsored charitable robotic surgeries, which will start on Monday, 21 July, and end a week later on 28 July. The surgeries will be performed at the Universitas Academic Hospital in the following specialities: urology, hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB), and colorectal and upper gastrointestinal (GI) general surgery.
Prof. Corlia Janse van Vuuren, acting Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at the UFS, says that this initiative is testament to a space where technology meets compassion, where science serves humanity.
“Through this, we are proud to contribute to former President Nelson Mandela’s vision of creating a better world for all who live in it.”
Prof. Corlia Janse van Vuuren
This year, the theme for Mandela Month is “It’s still in our hands to combat poverty and inequity.” The UFS, along with the various partners involved in this groundbreaking initiative, is proud to heed the call to action by participating in this pioneering initiative in honour of Nelson Mandela’s legacy of service, solidarity, and upliftment.
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